A teenage girl was subjected to a “sustained sexual assault” by a man in the early hours of today in Cheltenham, according to the Cheltenham Guardians.

The volunteer group, which helps people out at night in the town centre, said, however, the woman did not want to report the incident to the police – saying she had her “own personal reasons" for not doing so.

The shocking report has been placed on the Guardians’ Facebook page and Gloucestershire Live has referred the incident to the police.

The Guardians report said: “Guardians dealt with a serious India Protocol incident in the Promenade at 6.08am where a teenage girl was subjected to a sustained sexual assault by a male thought to be in his 60s.

“Robust and rapid intervention by Cheltenham Guardians rescued and secured the teenager who was being led away from town when we intercepted her.